Chevy Bolt - 200 mile range for $30k base price (after incentive)

[rxlawdude]

I have heard the same rumor. It comes from people that do detailing on cars from different manufacturers and they do complain about this "softer" paint on the Tesla's. Especially the plain black paint.

I think those people might have a pecuniary stake in promoting coatings and wraps, no?

 

[Model 3]

I think those people might have a pecuniary stake in promoting coatings and wraps, no?

Maybe maybe not, but when the detailer is detailing his own Tesla and complaining? And I do not see what stake they have in getting people to choose anything other then plain black?

 

[AndY1]

Yes, I remember kmanauto complaining about that with his Model S and if I recall correctly, he has some sort of auto shop.

 

[wycolo]

Softer paint required on aluminum panels due to higher coefficient of expansion.
--

 

[AudubonB]

This observation needs be taken with the admission I have an anti-GM bias, but does anyone else think that this photo I lifted from Electrek of the Bolt production line seem really kludgy compared to the Fremont plant? To me, that shop cart with a passel of lift pads on it looks like something I might cobble together in my Alaska shop.
What appears to be occurring in the pic is that the overhead-trolleyed body is being mated with the cart-rolling battery pack.

 

[JRP3]

Seriously, not even a scissor lift?

 

[Az_Rael]

What appears to be occurring in the pic is that the overhead-trolleyed body is being mated with the cart-rolling battery pack.

Seriously, not even a scissor lift?

That is a scissor lift, it's just covered in a fabric to protect the worker from pinch hazards.

And trust me, that doesn't look like kludged technology to me. We use similar equipment in the fighter jet aircraft plant I worked at in Texas. The little yellow dolley pulling on the very bottom is most likely controlled by GPS (see what look like antennas?). It might be optical as well with that blue stripe. The scissor lift has some sort of CPU or something on it based on the amount of wiring from the control box to the various mechanisms. We had units like that that had 5-axis adjustments, not just up and down. Most likely the top table can pivot to properly align the battery pack.


Actually, I think the more interesting thing about this photo is the fact that the car in front is NOT a Bolt. GMs line must be very dynamic to be able to run multiple vehicles like that. Very cool to see.


Edit: I just spotted what looks like another battery pack off to the left driving itself onto the line via a different blue stripe. <Engineer nerd squeal!!!>

 

[JRP3]

I stand corrected.

 

[AudubonB]

Thank you for the insight; and of course every shop will have different characteristics, but that dim ceiling, work table with cardboard boxes and ¿clothing? atop it; o-ring on the floor, portable fan to the side....

...there is the matter of perspective and bias, too. I had noticed that non-Bolt ahead and thought "that's ridiculous and can't be efficient". You saw it and thought "that's really cool".

 

[Az_Rael]

Thank you for the insight; and of course every shop will have different characteristics, but that dim ceiling, work table with cardboard boxes and ¿clothing? atop it; o-ring on the floor, portable fan to the side....

...there is the matter of perspective and bias, too. I had noticed that non-Bolt ahead and thought "that's ridiculous and can't be efficient". You saw it and thought "that's really cool".

Yeah, I guess I am working under the assumption that if there is one thing GM knows how to do well, it's move cars on an assembly line efficiently. So I assumed the other car ahead just showed how quickly they can switch. But it may be the last car of the previous line or something, who knows.

As far as lighting and cleanliness, I agree, it ain't great. Those cardboard boxes look like parts rack storage or something. We maintain much cleaner manufacturing lines in the aircraft industry, but that is because any debris left in an aircraft during manufacturing can cause a major malfunction or even kill people. So we maintain tight tool and parts control, vacuum the areas multiple times a day, etc. Our parts and tool racks are shadow boxed so it's quickly obvious when something is missing.

I assume cars don't need to be controlled that tightly (they don't do 9G turns and travel at Mach after all - if your car engine dies on the road, you just pull over).

But overall, I am an engineer who loves to see how other people make stuff. I used to love the show Factory Made - it was awesome.

 

[McRat]

Wow. People don't even know how cars are built yet are critiquing the methods. Amazing.

And not knowing that assy lines are not at full capacity until they perfect the tooling and techniques is also bizarre.

Let's say you are at work and a brand new project comes along. And you will have to process this project 10,000 times.

On Day One, is your process and procedures identical to Day 30 or Day 200?

I blame the schools.

 

[rhumbliner]

This observation needs be taken with the admission I have an anti-GM bias,

wait for it, wait for it, ...

Wow. People don't even know how cars are built yet are critiquing the methods. Amazing.

And not knowing that assy lines are not at full capacity until they perfect the tooling and techniques is also bizarre.

Let's say you are at work and a brand new project comes along. And you will have to process this project 10,000 times.

On Day One, is your process and procedures identical to Day 30 or Day 200?

I blame the schools.

and there it is.

 

[electracity]

Seriously, not even a scissor lift?

you are joking, right?

the sides are covered for worker safety

 

[brucet999]

… but that dim ceiling, work table with cardboard boxes and ¿clothing? atop it; o-ring on the floor, portable fan to the side....

That "dim ceiling" is actually an artifact of the way cameras work. The cars in the working area are so brightly lighted that the exposure averaging algorithm has had to underexpose (dim) everything else to compensate lest the foreground be blown out. Note that even the under side of the wheel well is brightly lighted.

I don't see an o-ring on the floor. Looks like floor mount electrical boxes to me.

 

[hockeythug]

Shocking the only sales this year will be in Califronia and Oregon.

 

[AudubonB]

That "dim ceiling" is actually an artifact of the way cameras work...
I don't see an o-ring on the floor...

1. Perhaps. Have you seen the Fremont factory, though?

2. Look on the blue line behind the dolly.

ALL: I understand it's impossible to read every post of every thread, BUT: especially if you are prone to criticizing another's post, it behooves you, for your sake and for the benefit of this entire forum AT LEAST to read all the posts anent the immediate subject before you chime in. There are some inappropriate entries between my "picture post" and this one.

McRat: I have a far longer, more diverse and hands-on experience in almost every facet of the industrial world than - possibly - all but the smallest handful of this forum's many thousands of members. I was being extremely tactful, not ignorant, in my first post.

 

[brucet999]

1. Perhaps. Have you seen the Fremont factory, though?

2. Look on the blue line behind the dolly.

Sure enough. You have a sharper eye than I to have seen that o-ring.

I have toured Fremont and it was very clean and bright.

 

[Discoducky]

Shocking the only sales this year will be in Califronia and Oregon.

Right! Not even Washington, but I'm not putting anything down until after a test drive. But I get the feeling I might get a test drive of a model 3 prior so the point with then be moot.

 

[Zhelko Dimic]

Thank you for the insight; and of course every shop will have different characteristics, but that dim ceiling, work table with cardboard boxes and ¿clothing? atop it; o-ring on the floor, portable fan to the side....

...there is the matter of perspective and bias, too. I had noticed that non-Bolt ahead and thought "that's ridiculous and can't be efficient". You saw it and thought "that's really cool".

I've seen Porsche factory this summer. Their assembly line looks very similar to this picture. Actually this one looks more flexible, with few different painted guidelines, less people etc...

 

[wdolson]

That "dim ceiling" is actually an artifact of the way cameras work. The cars in the working area are so brightly lighted that the exposure averaging algorithm has had to underexpose (dim) everything else to compensate lest the foreground be blown out. Note that even the under side of the wheel well is brightly lighted.

I don't see an o-ring on the floor. Looks like floor mount electrical boxes to me.

I think the lighting in the wheel well comes from a flash on the camera, but overall the factory does appear to be well lit.

Right! Not even Washington, but I'm not putting anything down until after a test drive. But I get the feeling I might get a test drive of a model 3 prior so the point with then be moot.

Anyone in Clark County can just go into Portland and buy one. I wouldn't buy any car I couldn't sit in. Getting the driver's seat set right is so difficult and a lot of cars just don't have enough leg room for me.